The purpose of the study was to examine the aftercare services juvenile parolees with mental disorders receive as they transition from correctional facilities to the community. The study assessed rates of recidivism for juvenile parolees with mental disorders, the type and frequency of mental health care received in the community by youth on parole, and the relationship between parolees' recidivism and functional outcomes with their utilization of mental health care. The sample came from t... (more info)

The purpose of the study was to examine the aftercare services juvenile parolees with mental disorders receive as they transition from correctional facilities to the community. The study assessed rates of recidivism for juvenile parolees with mental disorders, the type and frequency of mental health care received in the community by youth on parole, and the relationship between parolees' recidivism and functional outcomes with their utilization of mental health care. The sample came from the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS), which covers youths aged 10 to 21 sentenced to correctional care for the 88 Ohio counties in 2005 and 2006. The actual cohort was composed of 175 youths aged 12 to 19 years who had a presumptive release date within the next 60 days and were placed on the mental health caseload. Data were collected in 2005 and 2006 at four time points: one month pre-release, one month post-release, three months post-release, and six months post-release. Variables were gathered from the Ohio DYS and through the administration of a variety of standardized surveys and interview protocols. The main categories of variables include variables relating to arrest history and recidivism, variables relating to the mental health of subjects, variables relating to the administration of mental health treatment and health insurance coverage post-release, and demographic variables.

Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reasons for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.

Universe:
All youths in 2005 and 2006 in the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) aged 12 to 19 years who had a presumptive release date within the next 60 days and were placed on the mental health caseload.

Data Types:
administrative records data,
survey data

Methodology

Study Purpose:
The purpose of the study was to examine the aftercare services juvenile parolees with mental disorders receive as they transition from correctional facilities to the community. The study had three primary objectives. First, the study assessed rates of recidivism for juvenile parolees with mental disorders. Second, the type and frequency of mental health care received in the community by youth on parole was examined. Finally, the researchers investigated the relationship between parolees' recidivism and functional outcomes with their utilization of mental health care.

Study Design:
The researchers conducted a prospective cohort study to examine recidivism, adaptive functioning and mental health services for juvenile parolees from the mental health caseload who were released from juvenile correctional facilities. A research team member contacted a designated Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) official on a weekly basis to receive a list of youths who met eligibility requirements. Youth were then sent an invitation letter from the study team. Eligible participants received follow-up phone calls from the research team inviting them to participate. The final sample included 175 youths aged 12 to 19 years who had a presumptive release date within the next 60 days and were placed on the mental health caseload. All data from youth and parents/guardians were collected by a Columbus Children's Hospital research assistant over the telephone. Ohio Department of Youth Services also collected information on re-arrests and recidivism from parole officers throughout Ohio. Interview data were collected in 2005 and 2006 from youth at four time points: one month pre-release, one month post-release, three months post-release, and six months post-release. Parents of children 18 and over were not contacted for this study. However, the researchers collected interview data from parents/guardians of youth under 18 at three time points: one month post-release, three months post-release, and six months post-release. Youth over 18 received a $40 gift card for each completed interview, with a maximum total of $160. Youth under 18 received a $20 gift card for each completed interview with a maximum total of $80, while their caregivers received a $20 gift card for each completed interview for a maximum total of $60. A variety of standardized measures were completed, including the Voice Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-IV, a computerized, structured interview covering all major psychiatric disorders. Data were gathered regarding the frequency and timing of re-arrest rates and parole violation, and whether subjects received mental health care treatment following their release. Demographic variables were also collected.

Sample:
The sample came from the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS), which covers youths aged 10 to 21 sentenced to correctional care for the 88 Ohio counties in 2005 and 2006. A total of 187 eligible youth were approached for participation, and the final cohort was composed of 175 youths aged 12 to 19 who had a presumptive release date within the next 60 days and were placed on the mental health caseload.

Time Method:
Longitudinal: Cohort/ Event-based

Weight:
None

Mode of Data Collection:
record abstracts,
telephone interview

Data Source:

Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS)

Interviews with youths conducted at one month pre-release, one month post-release, three months post-release, and six months post-release

Interviews with caregivers conducted at one month post-release, three months post-release, and six months post-release

Description of Variables:
A total of 3,531 variables were gathered from the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) and through the administration of a variety of standardized surveys and interview protocols. The main categories of variables include variables relating to arrest history and recidivism, variables relating to the mental health of subjects, variables relating to the administration of mental health treatment and health insurance coverage post-release, and demographic variables. Variables collected through the DYS primarily include re-arrests and recidivism from parole officers throughout Ohio. Specifically, these comprise whether or not a youth was absent from parole but not formally re-arrested for the six-month post-release period as well as data on re-arrest and re-incarceration. Variables relating to youths' legal history, including the number of previous arrests and total number of months that the youth had ever been incarcerated in a correctional facility, were also gathered through the DYS. Variables related to mental health were gathered primarily through the administration of the Voice Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-IV (DISC-IV), a computerized, structured interview covering all major psychiatric disorders, and the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI-2), a measure of psychopathology that the youths completed at admission to DYS. Variables measuring functional outcomes and mental health symptoms in the community were created using the the Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS), a standard measure of adaptive functioning for a mental health population. Variables pertaining to mental health service utilization were composed using the utilized portions of the Service Assessment for Children and Adolescents (SACA), yielding variables documenting inpatient and residential services, drug and alcohol services, outpatient services, and psychotropic medication usage. Variables relating to health insurance coverage were created using the the insurance and public program participation questions from the National Survey of American Families (NSAF) to assess coverage during each post-release interview. Finally, demographic variables include age, gender, and race.

Response Rates:
A total of 187 were approached for participation and 175 agreed to participate, resulting in a 94 percent response rate.

Extent of Processing: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of
disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major
statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to
these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection: